Cafe Di Luna

Well, if you live in Harrisburg (or anywhere in PA for that matter), you're probably aware that it's been quite a rainy and dismal time recently. Well, I had a Thursday afternoon off from work, so I decided to spend that rainy afternoon going to a local cafe that I've been meaning to review ever since I started this blog. I'll just warn you ahead of time that the review will be quite positive indeed. I come here pretty often actually. It's in the same part of town that my primary job is, kind of in the epicenter of Harrisburg's Midtown "bohemian" scene.

The woman who runs the place is named Ambreen Esmail. If you love coffee and conversation she's definitely someone you should meet. The thing is, she's just as serious about her coffee as professional mixologists are about their liquor. It's a rare thing to see someone not taking for granted the subtleties of coffee bean flavor and the influences thereof. So anyhow, I just ordered whatever was "on tap" that day (a Colombian blend) in lieu of something fancy...but at this place, normal coffee feels pretty fancy because you know that whatever it is, it's blended by someone with over 10 years in the business. Experience really does count.

Ambreen's lived in NYC, and it shows in the ambiance. What I mean is that it's artsy without being kitschy and serious, but with time made for whimsy. The only thing that could really be improved is the surroundings. It's in the middle of the Midtown Renaissance area, and while it's great to have this place here, it would be even nicer if it were off the beaten path a bit more. If it were just a few blocks away from the center of commerce one could really calm down from the pace of the city. I don't know, maybe I'm just an anxiety-prone person. Either way, this place is an island of both sanity and genuine art in a place that is desperately starving for it.

Coffee: Four and a half mugs
Atmosphere: Four mugs

Here are some pics of the place...